Seal Of The United States

Seal Of The United States, ^* government. The seal used by the United States in congress assembled, shall be the seal of the United States, viz.: Arms, pale-ways of thirteen pieces argent and gules; a chief azure; the escutcheon on the breast of the American eagle displayer proper, holding in his dexter talon, an olive branch, and in his sinister, a bundle of thirteen arrows, all proper, and in his beak a scroll, inscribed with this motto, "E pluribus unum." For the Crest: over the head of the eagle which appears above the escutcheon, a glory, or breaking through a cloud, proper, and surrounding thirteen stars, forming a constellation argent on an azure field. Reverse, a pyramid unfin-ished. In the zenith an eye in a triangle, surrounded with a glory proper: over the eye, these words, "Annuit caeptis." On the base of the pyramid, the numerical letters, Mdcclxxvi; and underneath, the following motto, "Novus ordo sectorum." Resolution of Congress, June 20, 1782; Gordon's Dig. art. 207.

^* From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, 1856 Edition. Please see Bouvier's Legal Abbreviations & Abbreviated References for help with obscure nomenclature & references.